Philosophy
Associate in Arts for Transfer School of Humanities and Liberal Arts · Merced College · 2026-2027 Catalog
The Philosophy curriculum is designed to meet the lower division requirements of most universities offering a major in Philosophy. Students that complete an Associate in Arts in Philosophy for Transfer from Merced College will be prepared for upper division course work in Philosophy at a California State University. The Associate in Arts in Philosophy for Transfer is to assist students in the seamless transferring to a California State University.
The Associate in Arts in Philosophy for Transfer is designed around a core education that includes the history of philosophy, ethics, and logic. Students choose among elective courses in humanities and comparative religions. Upon completion, students with an Associate in Arts in Philosophy for Transfer will be eligible to transfer with junior standing into an equivalent major within the California State University (CSU) system. Students will be given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college area of emphasis. The Associate in Arts in Philosophy for Transfer is to assist students in the seamless transferring to a California State University. Upon completion of the AA-T in Philosophy, students will be able to:
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
A. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the major figures in the history of Western philosophy, as well as some figures outside the traditional Western canon.
B. Analyze primary philosophical texts and the philosophical arguments contained in them.
C. Defend positions on important philosophical issues, questions, and/or problems in written form.
For an Associate in Arts in Philosophy for Transfer (AA-T), students must complete the following:
60 semester CSU-transferable units.
the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern.
a minimum of 18 semester units in the major or area of emphasis as determined by the community college district.
obtainment of a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0.
earn a grade of C (or P) or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis.
Note: Students are not required to complete any additional local graduation requirements for the AA-T (e.g., PE and Computer and Information Literacy courses).
Program Requirements:
Program Core: (18 Units)
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL-01 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| orPHIL-01H | Honors Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL-05 | Contemporary Ethical Issues | 3 |
| PHIL-12 | Introduction to Logic | 3 |
| Supplemental courses: Select 2 of the following (6 units) | ||
| PHIL-02 | Social and Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL-03 | Ancient Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL-04 | Modern Philosophy | 3 |
| PHIL-15 | Comparative Religions | 3 |
| Elective: Select 1 of the following (3 units) | ||
| Any course from Supplemental Course list not already used. | ||
| PHIL-10 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| ENGL-C1001 | Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
| ENGL-C1001H | Critical Thinking and Writing Honors | 3 |
| HUM-01 | Studies in Humanities--Ancient through Renaissance | 3 |
| HUM-01H | Honors Studies in Humanities--Ancient through Renaissance | 3 |
| HUM-02 | Studies in Humanities--Renaissance to Present | 3 |
| HUM-02H | Honors Studies in Humanities--Renaissance to Present | 3 |
| Total Units toward the Major | 18 | |
Total Units that may be double counted: (-6-9 Units)
General Education (Cal-GETC) Units: (34 Units)
Elective (CSU Transferable) Units: (14-17 Units)
Total Degree Units: (60 Units)